Daughter of the Moon | Hobbit

Haunted Forest

The company was all seated on their ponies, and Beorn spoke to Gandalf before they left their host lands. While they still had the daylight. Gandalf and the company rode out towards the gigantic forest and on the journey, and when they arrived they let set the ponies loose and gathered their supplies.

Gandalf was first to step into the entrance of the forest, he was given a short foresight from Galadriel as she spoke to him of the evils and the Necromancer. Holding his staff with a deep inhale, he knew what he must do. Beorn was right, the Elven path would lead the company to safety but here lays pure darkness ahead for the company to face alone. 

The time has come, Mithrandir. Rash spoke with Gandalf through their connection through their mind, as they both share. He retreated by the Wizard's side and he how Gandalf felt to leave the company. The Watcher of Arda and the Grey Wizard would both stand and keep the darkness at bay. 

"This forest, it feels sick." Bilbo spoke his thought out loud, Valerie took the hobbit's side watching the forest ahead of them, feeling the darkness growing stronger within the fallen trees.

"Can't we go around it somehow?" Bilbo had then asked Gandalf hoping for a more pleasant answer.

"No, my friend." Gandalf sighed deeply, turning to face the hobbit, "if we don't go south or north which we don't have the time for." Gandalf thought of the other ways to go through Mirkwood, but it was double the miles they didn't have the time to go through the safer way.

"There is the Elven-path don't lose your track on it! If you do, you will get lost and never to find it again." Gandalf spoke, as he was seated on his horseback, Rash took his side as he wouldn't let Gandalf go alone as it was far too dangerous.

"Are the two of you leaving us?" Bilbo asked confused, the attention from the company was now on the Wizard and Knight who was ready to leave them.

"Yes, we wouldn't leave if we didn't have to," Gandalf uttered but knowing the Hobbit was feeling uneasy to see the wizard and knight go. There the half-elf felt distressed of Mirkwood, she turned and locked eyes with Rash who was already seated again on his horse. "We will be back," he told her, but that did not make it easier for the half-elf. 

"This is not Greenwood of old, there is a stream in the woods that carries a dark enchantment, do not touch the water. Across only by the stone bridge, the very air of the forest is heavy with illusion it will seek to enter your mind and lead you astray." Gandalf gives them the little riddle of information that would be needed for them to remember when they walk into the cursed forest. "Lead us astray, what does that mean?" Bilbo asked, looking at Valerie, who didn't know either at this point what Gandalf meant with it, as a pathway couldn't just vanish into thin air. 

"You must stay on the path, do not leave it. If you do you'll never find it again." Gandalf and Rash were ready to march on with the horses leaving the company, as the two galloped away, "No matter what may come, stay on the path!" Gandalf's voice echoed as he and Rash were out form sight.  "Come on we must reach the mountain before the sun sets on Durin's day. We got one chance to find the hidden door." Thorin marched on and into the woods, Dwalin agreed, and followed the to-be-king with the rest of the company. 

"Which path did Gandalf spoke of?" Kili asked, just when the wizard took off for whatever he needed. The young Dwarf Prince kept walking by his brother's side and was joined by the Half-she elf, Lillian. Following their uncle and the rest of the kin. 

"Why hasn't the King of Mirkwood done anything about this darkness? What if this spread to other lands?" Kíli was one to ask and Balin looked over his shoulder to the youngest, he believed it was madness indeed. Madness from a King to let such evil like this spread to the forest. The wise and old dwarf had seen evil before in his days, but not any evil like this.